I seem to have trouble getting the reefing tack reefing cringle down to the boom on my Oday 23. The pin (sail stop)at the top of the sail slot prevents the tack from getting low enough on the mast. Loosening the downhaul to raise the boom doesn't seem like a good solution either, since there is danger of the gooseneck coming out of the sail slot. The only solution I have found is to remove the sail stop before I ease the main halyard, which allows the tack to be drawn down neatly next to the boom. However, this is an extra step and it seems like there should be a better way.
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Good question - I remove the stop
Kevin - I an Oday 23 and have experienced the same thing and question - I decided that the tack must be down on the boom so I always remove the sail stop. When I do this and tighten the reefing outhaul the sail shape looks good. When you secure the reefing tack do you: a) Use a reefing line/down haul through the reefing tack or b) Attach the reefing tack to a hook on the gooseneck? I think the boat sails well when reefed and have learned to reef early when I see the weather turning.
Kevin - I an Oday 23 and have experienced the same thing and question - I decided that the tack must be down on the boom so I always remove the sail stop. When I do this and tighten the reefing outhaul the sail shape looks good. When you secure the reefing tack do you: a) Use a reefing line/down haul through the reefing tack or b) Attach the reefing tack to a hook on the gooseneck? I think the boat sails well when reefed and have learned to reef early when I see the weather turning.
reefing line or hook?
I use a line that starts on a pad eye on the port side of the mast, runs up through the reef tack, then down to a cleat on the starboard side. I have been thinking about marking the mainsail slide so I can quickly see how many to let down below the sail stop. I have also wondered about leaving the reefing line rigged all the time. I have thought about trying a reefing hook attached near the gooseneck. Anyone tried that? I agree that this boat likes to be reefed early. I often find that my speed drops very little when reefing after the wind pipes up and the boat is much more comfortable. I am often singlehanded, so I want to make the process as quick and simple as possible. Otherwise I tend to put it off too long!
I use a line that starts on a pad eye on the port side of the mast, runs up through the reef tack, then down to a cleat on the starboard side. I have been thinking about marking the mainsail slide so I can quickly see how many to let down below the sail stop. I have also wondered about leaving the reefing line rigged all the time. I have thought about trying a reefing hook attached near the gooseneck. Anyone tried that? I agree that this boat likes to be reefed early. I often find that my speed drops very little when reefing after the wind pipes up and the boat is much more comfortable. I am often singlehanded, so I want to make the process as quick and simple as possible. Otherwise I tend to put it off too long!
I used to try
I used to try and get the gooseneck pin through the reef point cringle, and eventually gave up. Now I just tighten the forward reefing line (it runs through the reefing cringle) until it comes down to the gooseneck and secure it to the cleat on the side of the boom. That plus the aft reefing line have always been enough to secure the main.
I used to try and get the gooseneck pin through the reef point cringle, and eventually gave up. Now I just tighten the forward reefing line (it runs through the reefing cringle) until it comes down to the gooseneck and secure it to the cleat on the side of the boom. That plus the aft reefing line have always been enough to secure the main.
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